Robots include mobile teleoperated, supervised, and fully autonomous mobile machines of all sizes. Such mobile robots are used to perform a variety of tasks. For example, smaller mobile robots of this type may be used for a variety of purposes around the home or office, such as for delivering mail, mowing the lawn, and vacuuming floors.
Basic mobile robots typically include a means of locomotion and power, a task payload, a control system including a path definition, and means of perception for localization and safeguarding. For example, robot locomotion and power may be provided by an electric motor or engine and means for coupling the motor or engine to wheels, tracks, or legs to propel the robot across a surface.
A robot task payload defines the main useful function of the robot. For example, the task payload may include mower blades or a vacuum. Power for the task payload may be provided by the same motor or engine used to propel the robot, or from another source of power.
A robot control system controls the direction and speed of movement of the robot through a defined path. The control system may also control operation of the robot task payload. The control system may be implemented using programmable components and may operate with minimal or no human intervention.
A robot may be controlled to traverse a path by moving between defined points, or to traverse a defined area by using either precise localization or following a random pattern. In order to follow a defined path, the robot controller may receive input from a means of perception for localization, so that the location of the robot with respect to the defined path may be determined. Means of perception for localization may include, for example, means for detecting a wire, marking, or signal that defines the path to be followed, optical or other means for detecting placed or natural landmarks having known positions and from which the robot location may be determined by triangulation, and/or localization means making use of the Global Positioning System (GPS).
A mobile robot typically also employs a means of perception for safeguarding, to prevent damage to the robot and to objects in the robot's environment. Such means of perception for safeguarding may include optical, sonic, and/or physical contact sensors that provide signals to the robot controller from which the presence of potentially damaging situations may be detected. The robot controller may stop the robot, or alter its direction and/or speed of movement, in response to the detection of a potentially damaging situation.